JW

I think an aikidoka should be able to think of kubi nage without getting stuck in psychological issues. It's just a throw, and we shouldn't have weird machismo attached to it.

I'm talking from the point of view that the head is the tip of our body structure. One reason the throw is cool and interesting is that you are latching onto the free end of the uke's vertical column. The 2 bodies integrating and twisting together (which is the real nature of all our throws) is so plainly demonstrated in this throw. That's kind of nice.

I think it would be great in class to highlight the kind of safety concern and involvement that this throw demands, and to be sure that we can do this together without getting all macho (from nage's end) or upset (from uke's end).

I mean, we do it every class with all the other throws we practice-- we are doing "nice" versions of things that are supposed to land the attacker on his head to hurt/kill. We let them roll instead, and in kubi nage we take care of them too.